Mentally ill patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals are
becoming sicker in wards which are so short of staff that only
minimal treatment is offered, a survey has found.

A critical shortage of staff and bed occupancy rates of 100 per
cent mean most wards only offer treatment with powerful sedative
drugs.
Just one in five provides the psychological treatment cognitive
behavioural therapy, according to the survey by the National
Institute for Mental Health published by the Sainsbury
Centre.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
9

Asbos ‘are bringing back jail for
prostitutes’

Anti-social behaviour orders are increasingly being used against
prostitutes as a “quick fix” way of clearing women off
the streets, campaigners warn.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 8

Abuse affects school work

Children who are abused and neglected at home are more likely than
their peers to do badly at school, to have behaviour problems and
to become victims of bullying, according to a report by the
NSPCC.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 10

New Labour pair call poverty rethink

Labour should return to its founding principle of fighting poverty
by raising taxes on the rich, two New Labour thinkers say in a
policy paper.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 13

What a difference a day makes

A fast-track programme designed to tackle social problems in
deprived communities is turning the visions of local people into
reality. A report on the Real Time Community Change programme in
the London borough of Barnet.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
7

Siege mentality

Two reports have highlighted the poor state of mental health
inpatient services, plagued by violence, alcohol and drug abuse,
compounded by staff shortages

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
8

Dead Boy ‘may have been kicked’

A coroner heard that a three-year-old boy was found dead covered in
bruises on New Year’s Day.

Deraye Lewis could have been kicked or punched in the abdomen. His
mother Donna Humphrey took him to hospital the day before he died
because he was suffering vomiting and stomach pains.

Nicolas Halling has been charged with murdering him and assaulting
Humphrey.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 25 May page 6

Scottish news

A study published today shows psychopaths are born anti-social and
are not corrupted by bad parenting.

Researchers who studied twins found that antisocial behaviour was
strongly inherited, while in children without psychopathic
tendencies antisocial behaviour was caused by environmental
factors.

Source: – The Scotsman Wednesday 25 May 2005

Welsh news

Teachers want HMIs back

Teachers are calling for school inspections in Wales to be carried
out by local authorities rather than the by the private
sector.

The National Union of Teachers Cymru will call for the change at
the Wales TUC conference today.

The NUT said that making financial profits out of inspections
belonged to a “discredited past”.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 May

Parent fined for child absence

A parent was fined for not sending her daughter to school yesterday
at Denbighshire Magistrates Court.

The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded
guilty to not ensuring that the 13-year-old went to school between
January 2005 and March 2005.

She was fined £200 and £75 costs and warned that if she
is ever prosecuted for the same offence again she would face a
custody order.

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